Means for securing and attachment plug to an electrical receptacle



Dec. 20, 1955 L. R. PHALEN 2,728,058

MEANS FOR SECURING AN ATTACHMENT PLUG TO AN ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE Filed June 25,; 1952 Inven i0)" L aWrenc'eR. Fhalen Aziorny the plug.

United States Patent MEANS FOR SECURING AN ATTACHMENT PLUG TO AN ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE Lawrence R. Phalen, La Grange, lll. Application June 25, 1952, Serial No. 295,474 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-75) tacle parts of different dimensions.

The widespread use in homes, ofiices, and factories of electrical appliances, tools, lamps and other devices cessation of operation of an electrical device. This is particularly true in homes, where young children are apt at some stage of their development to find these electrical connections very fascinating. Devices have been provided to prevent accidental separation of the plugs from the receptacles, but many are designed for use in factories or the like and cannot conveniently be passed back over In applying the holder, such aperture is opened and the plug passed therethrough, the slidable members are moved to positions adjacent the cord, and

the retaining members are engaged with the cover plate at opposite sides thereof when the plug is inserted in the receptacle. of the holder, that is, the length 2,728,058 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 element or elements secured thereon at the desired point or points, any excess of the band being removed if desired. Instead of providing for adjustment of the holder by retaining element securement at the time of application, the band may be made of a material having a limited degree of elasticity such that it may stretch to the greatest expected length, yet provide substantially unyielding resistance to movement of the plug out of the receptacle beyond the point at which the prongs would be appreciably withdrawn. The primary difference between the two forms of the holder illustrated is that in one an aperture is provided to accommodate only one plug for retention by the holder, While in the other form the band is provided with a plurality of openings so that the holder may retain more than one plug in a receptacle simultaneously.

Of course the invention may readily be modified in many ways, the two forms illustrated disclosing only two examples of the holder.

It is an object of the invention to protect unknowing persons such as young children against injury due to separating an electrical plug from a wall outlet or similar receptacle part, by providing a simple but efiective holder for securing the plug against such separation.

It is another object to provide a simple, easily applied, and effective holder for securing an electrical plug against separation from a receptacle part.

Another object is the provision of a holder for securing tions of difierent plugs and receptacle parts.

Another object is the provision of a holder for securtacle part, adjust to plugs and receptacle parts of ditfering dimensions but to prevent appreciable separating movement of the plug.

A further object is the provision of a holder for securing an electrical plug against separation from a receptacle quired by the dimensions of the particular plug and recepit is applied.

Another object is the provision of a holder for securing a plurality of electn'cal to clamp the plugs in their engaged positions.

A further object is the provision of a holder for securing an electrical plug against separation from a receptacle part, which is apertured for passage over the plug and has adjustable means for aperture restriction to prevent reverse passage, and is adapted for attachment to the receptacle part spanning the plug and receptacle part.

Other and further objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in'conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of an electrical wall outlet with a plug engaged therein, showing one form of the invention applied thereto toprevent withdrawal of the plug;

Fig. 2 is a top Fig. 1',

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. I;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the form of the holder shown in Fig. l, with a part thereof in detached relationsnip;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the holder as shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a somewhat different form of the holder employed to secure a pair of plugs;

Fig. 7 is' a side elevation of the form of the holder shown in Fig. 6, with a part thereof detached for subsequent assembly therewith; and

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the holder as shown in Fig. 7.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a terminal plug holder 10 is shown as comprising an elongated part or band 11, preferably of synthetic plastic or other dielectric material, and hooked clips 12 of metal or the like having integral clamping lugs 13 by which they are secured to the ends of the band 11. The band is provided with a slot or aperture 14 in its central or intermediate portion which is of suflicient size to pass therethrough the electrical plug P. A pair of slides 15, which like the clips 12 may be of metal or other substantially firm material, are arranged on the band 11 for movement therealong to any desired position between its ends, and are of such form as" to span the aperture 14 when disposed at the slotted portion of the band. In the form shown, the slides 15 are of substantially C shape to practically encircle the band, but obviously may take any other form which accomplishes the purpose. 'In Figs. 4 and 5, one of the clips 12 is shown detached from the band 11, for a reason explained hereinbelow.

As appears from Figs.

1 to 3, the. holder 10 is applicable to the cover plate W of a duplex wall outlet or receptacle R and a plug P having the usual bladesor prongs (not shown) extending from one face into the receptacle slots, and a cable or cordC extending from the other face, to retain the plug in engagement with the receptacle. To apply the holder, the slides 15 are positioned sufficiently far apart to allow the band 11 to be passed over the plug P by means of the aperture 14. The slides are then moved toward the center of the band to restrict the aperture sufficiently to prevent the plug from passing therethrough in the opposite direction. Preferably the slides 15 are located close to the cord C in their aperture-restricting positions and have relatively tight frictional engagement with the band when so positioned. The hooked clips 12 are engaged behind opposite sides edges of the plate W so that the holder extends across the plate and over the plug, with the plug disposed between the plate and holder. The plug P is thus held or clamped against movement out of the receptacle, since any withdrawing movement causes the outer face of the plug to engage the band, which is anchored to the plate W and receptacle R by the hooked retaining clips 12 to resist such movement. The clips ordinarily may be readily engaged behind the plate because itdoes not engage the wall closely and the hooks can be slipped into place, and at most it is only necessary to loosen the screws or other means securing the plate to the'receptacle so that it may be spaced slightly from the wall.

The length of the holder '10, that is the combined length of the band 11 and clips 12, is such as to correspond substantially to the distance between th PPOSite sides of the plate W to which the clips are attached, measured over the plug P engaged in the receptacle. The holder elevational view of the parts shown in tate its application,

4 and 5, or loosely engaged thereon.

may be slightly longer than this distance, so as to facilior may have some elasticity since it is not necessary that the holder clamp the plug tightly against the plate, although any movement outwardly of the receptacle permitted the plug by the holder must be limited to a distance considerably less than the length of the plug prongs.

While receptacle face or cover plates are generally of standard shapes and sizes, electrical plugs vary widely in conformation and dimensions, and in order to allow for such variations it is desirable that the holder be adjustable. One way of accomplishing this is to form the holder of material havingra limited degree of elasticity such that the holder may be stretched somewhat for application to a plug and receptacle requiring a greater holder length but will not stretch sufiiciently to allow withdrawal of the plug prongs from the receptacle slots even. the normal or shortest length of the holder is needed to span the plug and cover. plate. Thus while the length of the holder may by reason of its resilience be varied within the limits required by normal differences in the dimensions of the parts to can be moved outwardly of the receptacle only a distance substantially less than the prong length becausethe limit of resilience will be reached and the holder will afford substantially unyielding resistance to the plug movement before the plug prongs can leave the slots. Suitable materials'for providing the desired degree of elasticity in the holder are limited in number, however, for various reasons, while inelastic materials of which the holder may be made afford a wide choice. Such inelastic materials may be used and adjustment of the holder still provided for in a number of ways. For example, the band 11 may be made of a substantially length great enough for application of the holder to any dimension combination of a plug and receptacle within a particular range, and either or both of the retaining clips 12 left detached from the band, as shown in Figs. The holder 10 can then be applied to the plug and the necessary length of the band determined directly by engaging receptacle, extending the band on each side of the plug to the cover plate edge where it is to be attached, and noting the desired termination point or points of the band which will give a well-fitting holder. The unsecured clip or clips may then be clamped or otherwise fastened to the band, and any excess length of band material cut 011. Thus the holder is adjustable for any particular plug and receptacle, and applicable to a similar plug and receptacle.

It may be pointed out that it is possible to dispense with the slides 15 on the holder at least for application to certain types of plugs and with the band made of certain materials. This results from the fact that the aperture 14 is opened to pass a plug by spreading the, side portions of the band 11 defining the aperture and thereby shortening the holder, while when the holder is extended its full length the aperture-definingportions are drawn toward each other and the dimensions of the opening are insufiicient to allow the plug to pass therethrough. Thus when the holder isattached to the receptacle in the fairly tautrelation explained hereinabove, the aperture-defining portions of the band are prevented from spreadingrappreciably and the plug cannot pass through the aperture unless the plug is so small relative to the size of the aperture that it can be workedthrough the opening. If desired, the band may be passed over theplug and then twisted on opposite sides of the cord more surely to prevent the aperture spreading open. I

' In Figs. 6 to 8, a holder 20 is shown which is generally similar to the holder 10 already described and in which many parts identical to those of the] holder 10 are employed, such identical parts being designated by the same reference numerals in all the figures. The holder 20 comwhen only which it is applied, the plug non-stretching material in a the plug in the prises a band 21 similar to but longer than the band 11 of holder 10, on which the retaining hooked clips 12 are secured and slides 15 are movably mounted. An aperture 22 is formed in the band 21, similar to the aperture 14 but longer, so that the band may extend over two plugs P in a receptacle, as shown in Fig. 6. Instead of a pair of slides 15, two pairs are provided, so that the aperture 22 may be restricted adjacent each of the plugs. It is not necessary that the aperture be large enough to pass both of the plugs simultaneously, since it will be clear that the plugs may be moved through the aperture successively, and only an aperture large enough to accommodate the cord C of the first plug while allowing passage of the second plug is required. The length of the holder corresponds to the distance from top to bottom of the plate W, measured over the two plugs P engaged in the two receptacle portions of the receptacle R, more or less side of the plate after the plugs P have been passed through the aperture 22 and inserted in the receptacle, with the two pairs of slides 15 respectively drawn toward each other to restrict the opening about the cord C of each plug. Like the holder 10, the holder 20 may be made adjustable by using a material of limited elasticity for the band 21, by having at least one of the hooked clips 12 unsecured to the band as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or in other Ways. Of course the holder may be formed to accommodate three or more plugs if desired.

Instead of employing four slides 15 on the holder 20, the two central ones may be fixed together or formed as variety of materials, such as synthetic plastic, rubber or like material, metal springs, leather, cord, chain, wire, or others, and the term band is employed in a broad sense to include forms other than the flat strip illustrated in the drawings. As the wires of the connecting cord are sometimes bared adjacent the outer face of the plug, the holder by extending across the plug and around the cord serves in addition to preventing possible injury by withdrawal of the plug. To further this contact-preventing aspect of across said plate and substantially in overlying engagement with said opposite plug face and of small width relative to its length, an elongated aperture formed in said band extending longitudinally thereof providing an opening therein for passage of verse passage of the plug and positions relatively remote from each other enlarging the opening for passage of the plug, and hook means of bent thin material secured on said band adjacent the ends thereof engageable about edges of said cover plate to secure the band on said receptacle part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

